A new study has revealed an alarming link between family violence and suicide in the state of Western Australia. The study, conducted by the Women’s Health Information Centre, found that 124 women and children in WA committed suicide in 2017. Of those victims, more than half were known to be victims of family and domestic violence.
The report showed that the greatest risk for victims of domestic violence is in the year or two after leaving a violent situation. This is often due to the fact that perpetrators of domestic violence will go to great lengths to harass, stalk, and intimidate their former partners. In many cases, this harassment can lead to the victim taking their own life.
Takeaways:
• WA’s domestic violence problem is the second largest in the country, behind only the Northern Territory.
• On average, police are called to a family violence incident every 12 minutes.
• A recent report has highlighted the shattering consequences of what can come next.
The WA government has been working to address the issue over the last five years with new funding, refuges, and changes that allow women and their children to stay in them for longer. However, advocates say much more is required. They point to the lack of affordable housing and support services as major obstacles for women trying to escape violent situations. They also say that more needs to be done to raise awareness of the issue and provide support for those who are at risk.
The findings of this report are alarming and highlight the need for further action to be taken in order to protect victims of domestic violence. The WA government has made some progress on this issue in recent years, but it is clear that much more needs to be done. Only by addressing the underlying causes of domestic violence can we hope to reduce the number of families affected by this epidemic.
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